Wednesday, November 30, 2011

My Mom's hubby is dealing with some heart issues and there's some other stuff going on. Obviously we're all very concerned. He went yesterday and saw the doctor and had a echo and blood work done. Today he went back for stress tests. So hopefully within the next couple of days we'll know more answers.

Prayers would be appreciated. Hard not to let your mind wonder and obviously they are both very worried (As well all are). My Mom texted me and said he's not having a good day today. He's very tired and mentally tired as well. Please pray that God would give them peace of mind and guard their hearts, specifically his.

Thankful that when things aren't always going my way, I'm reminded that it could always be worse.

Thankful for my Compassion child that I sponsor.

Thankful for my Father God who loves me even when I feel unlovable.

Thankful for Faith, Hope, and Love.

Thankful for memories made this time of year and the way it warms the heart.

Thankful for laughter. Couldn't imagine life without it.

Lastly, truly truly thankful for each and every one of you. If you're reading this... Yes, I'm talking to you.

Some of these are silly things but I pray the Lord will always teach me to have a thankful heart in the small and big things. This life is hard and circumstances beat us down. And it's easy to focus on everything else. Gahhhhh, we have so much in this life to be thankful for. This list could seriously go on and on.

I pray that you can pause for a moment in the hustle and bustle. Go to a quiet place, maybe by yourself, and reflect and give thanks.

Who knows, I might be back, maybe not..... but interrupting to pour out some thanks!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

I’ve been blogging since 2008. I would have to say that this year has been the hardest year yet blogging wise. I look back and can see that this year I’ve posted less than all of the other years.

I don’t know why it’s been such a struggle. I admit, in the midst I somehow lost focus of why I’m blogging in the first place. That happens to the best of us. My desire is that I can get back to the point where I'm blogging for me and no one else. And frankly, just need a break.

I think I’ve decided that I’m going to take the rest of the year off from blogging. We’re coming up to that busy time of the year where time with family and friends is precious. I just want to be in the moment and soak it all in. I think it’s good for us to do that every now and then.

I’m so looking forward to coming back in 2012 and starting fresh. I hope the holidays find you blessed and your hearts full.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

If you're in the blog and Twitter world, you might have followed the Compassion Bloggers while they were in Ecuador. Each and every post affected me in some way. But it was Sophie's last post of the trip about sweet Jonathan that left me sobbing.

I’m ashamed to say that at one time I sponsored a child with World Vision but I called and canceled my sponsorship. With much conviction I tell you that I believe that was out of selfish need. It’s easy to think what is my sponsorship really doing and how far can my money really go. Oh my word, it goes so so far. It’s easy to doubt and of course it’s easy for us to hold tight to our money and think, Oh I just can’t give up $38, I have bills to pay. But seriously, the work compassion is doing is amazing, truly amazing!

So for all the Jonathan’s out there in need (and the many others), I sponsored a child.

Meet Darwin. We're birthday buddies. I typed in my birthday and he was the ONLY one that showed up and he's been waiting 6 months for a sponsor. It was meant to be.

I believe in the cause, I believe in what they do. And I believe that Compassion is the hands and feet of Christ at work, and truly making a difference.

I can't wait to see what my sponsorship does for Darwin's life. He's a 13 year old boy who has dealt with more than I can imagine. It might mean less going out to eat on my part but so so worth it to see the way God is going to move in this precious life.

So, today, I'm so so thankful for this boy and my role in Darwin's life.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Today is 11.11.11 ... How cool is that? Wonder how many babies are scheduled to be born today or how many weddings will take place.

Thankful for our Veterans today past, present, and future. I will be forever indebted to them for their sacrifice and duty to our country. I have to work today, BOO! But that's not what it's about. Thank a Veteran today.

It's Friday, WooHoo. And I have nothing really on the agenda this weekend. I purposely did that, ha!

A few bloggers have put together an ornament exchange. SO fun! Go by here and sign up! November 14th is the last day.

You may or may not have already seen this. But Erin and Nina are doing a Random Acts of Kindness challenge. I was able to mark something off the list yesterday. It felt good. It's the time of year to give back and sometimes we just need to take the focus off ourselves. Click over to their blogs and print off this printable.

Treat yo' self!!!!!!! Name that show??? And it was soooooo good!!!

Woke up today and Brrrrr, it was cold outside. (Remember I live in the Sunshine State) :)

I'm really excited because I have a few servicemen I'm able to send some Christmas love to this year. I can only imagine how lonely it is overseas around the holidays! It's always nice to know someone is thinking of you back home.

This week was very disheartening because Revenge was not on TV this week. Seriously??? How can they keep us hanging like that? It was just getting good up in the Hamptons. This show is like a drug! Any Revenge lovers out there???

Who watched the CMAs this week????

This girl can wear anything and look stunning!!!

I'm really loving all these thankful statuses I'm seeing going around Facebook the month of November. It's a nice change from all the whining and complaining you see on there. Puts things in perspective, and a good reminder that we ALWAYS have something to be thankful for. Wouldn't you agree?

Watch this little girl's reaction to finding out she's going to Disney. Guaranteed to make you smile today!!

Y'all, our office mailman, bless his heart, wears a toupee. I just keep waiting for the next really windy day. Ha! I've been racking my brain ALL week trying to think of how I can discretely get a picture. Just don't think it's possible, ha!

Thought this was fitting for today! Goooooo Gatorssssss and beat South Carolina this weekend!! :)

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Leesburg, Florida: Population 19,086 (As of 2005 and according to good ole' Wikipedia, ha). Who knows what it is now.

Located right smack dab in the middle of the Sunshine State.

Welcome to Leesburg:

I'm a born and raised Leesburg girl. My Mom and Dad are both from here.

This is historic downtown Leesburg back in the day

What it looks like today.

They have really made an effort to beautify the downtown area. And it's really become one of my favorite places in this city. The law office where I work is located right off downtown.

They not too long ago built a beautiful new library.

Our one and only hospital.

This is not the hospital back in 1984 where a brown haired, brown-eyed little girl was born.

The hospital I was born at was waaaaay smaller and turned into the North Campus of LRMC (Leesburg Regional Medical Center.)

Leesburg is surrounded by a chain of lakes. Thus, why it is called the Lake Front City!

This is what you can find while sitting at Venetian Gardens, one of our local parks.

My brother and I went to Leesburg High School. Home of the Yellow Jackets.

I'm class of 2002 baby!

My Mom and Dad also graduated from here.

Good times in these halls. Sometimes I'd go back just so I wouldn't wish those four years away.

So yeah, I found this interesting piece of knowledge while doing some research on good ole' Leesburg.

Ummm, do you see the orange? In the words of Antoine Dodson.... "Hide Yo Purse, Hide Yo wallet." Please do let this hinder you from visiting Leesburg.

Anyhow........

Just as a little history for you, Leesburg was first settled in 1857 by Evander McIver Lee. Several of Evander Lee's brothers followed him to the area. One of these brothers, Calvin Lee, was credited with giving the town its name.

More and more people I went to high school with that left to go away to college are back, married, and settling with there families here. I have ALWAYS been the person that could NOT wait to get out of Leesburg. Not going to lie, nothing to do in this forsaken place. For real. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. It kind of stinks for the younger people. Leesburg is a little less than an hour north of Orlando. Thank heavens or we'd lose our minds up in here.

I never imagined Leesburg to be the place where I'd stay put. Leesburg is growing by leaps and bounds but it still maintains it's small town feel. It will always be my first home. My permanent home, no. But will always have a piece of my heart. It's my hometown, how can it not?

Now that I've bored you to tears about Leesburg.... What's your hometown? What's your favorite thing about the place you call home???

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

It’s so hard to believe it’s that time of year again where you start thinking of Christmas cards and getting your list together. My list grows longer and longer every year. Christmas cards are one of my FAVORITE things about the holidays, along with ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas… Ha!

Last year I went through Shutterfly and I’ll be using them again this year and taking advantage of their wonderful promotion for bloggers.

My card last year.

Yes, I know you must be thinking, get that girl a husband, ha! All in God's good timing, my friends :)

I was so pleased with the way it turned out and these are a few of my favorites I found on their website this year:

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

I felt like death all day. I have an ear infection and my throat was really really scratchy and irritated. I went to the doctor yesterday morning. They wrote me some prescriptions.

I go to Walgreens to pick up the medicine to where the lady kindly says, "That will be $70."

Crazy lady say what?

I wanted to say I know my ears are clogged up, but I know you didn't just say $70. I felt horrible and this was not the cherry on my sundae.

You see, last Friday I was so excited because it was a paycheck where I had no bills to be paid that week. It felt really great.

Then comes the $35 I pay to the doctor and $70 for medicine piled on top of that.

Way to bust my "I have no bills and paycheck is all mine" bubble :/

But I as I drove away from Walgreens mumbling under my breath, it hit me like a ton of bricks...

Lord, you are Jehovah Rophi, the God who provides.

He knew I'd need that $105 dollars. And in that moment, my attitude began to shift., and I praised him for a no bills paycheck. Would I have liked to have spent that $105 dollars on something else, heck yes! I could think of countless other things, and might have muttered at the end of that praise these ears drops better be made of gold, ha.

The point of this post isn't about co-pays or prescriptions, but the truth is.... God knows our need, even before we do. He is always faithful

I know there are people in third world countries that don't have access to medicine and doctors. I'm lucky and blessed in so many ways and God is continuously showing me that and pray that my eyes will always be open to recognize that.

And happy to say that with sleep and medicine..... I'm like a brand new person today!!

Monday, November 7, 2011

The weekend started off with some fun. One of my BFF's Jill invited me to go Gator Growl with her. It was homecoming weekend for the Florida Gators. So I got out of work early on Friday and headed to the Swamp!!

Jill and I at Gator Growl.

The Gator Growl was so much fun!! Goo Goo Dolls and Sister Hazel were there and were great. The Band and the UF dancers were there. The Senior football players and the coach were there. There was a comedian. They crowned homecoming king and queen. And there were fireworks and so much more. It was my first time going, had amazing seats, and it was such a fun atmosphere and such a fun way to get pumped up before our game against Vandy on Saturday. So proud to be a Florida Gator and proud to be in the SEC. Only the BEST conference ever.

Saturday was the game. And unfortunately I couldn't go but of course I had to show my Gator pride!!

I look pale as a ghost but Gooooooo Gatorssssss!!!! :)

And we beat Vandy! We soooooo desperately needed this win after 4 weeks of loss.

Saturday late afternoon I went to go head over to my brother and SIL's house and spend the night and visit with my nieces and go to church.

I would hope that when I look back on my life that I can look back with great certainty that my purpose was served here on earth. That I loved God with my whole heart, loved people, and loved well. I love blessing others. It's much better to give then to receive. I know that there's an amazing God that loves me and will never leave me nor forsake me. There's alot of peace in that when this world can let us down. He's my constant, the one thing that remains the same in this ever changing life of mine. I look towards the future with great hope and expectancy. With hope that God has an amazing path for me, and just pray that my every step will be guided and directed by him as I walk this journey called life!

Thank you for coming by. My hope is that through this page you will find some kind of enjoyment and inspiration. Tell others about it and keep checking in. If you want to contact me my e-mail is LaurenBella6@hotmail.com :o)